A New Life
by Sparky She-Demon
Summary: Elizabeth is about to start a new part of her life, being a mother. Prequel to TWGO, in the same universe.


**A/N: Yet another oneshot in the TWGO universe. This was written with the help of Dellruby, with Aang Beckett as the beta.**

* * *

Elizabeth had never been more nervous in her life. She had thought that negotiating with the Wraith Queen was nerve wracking, it had nothing on this. Five days past her due date, she'd been doing nothing but nesting for the past two weeks. She'd run out of things to clean.

Everything was ready for the babies. Elizabeth had only known that she was going to be keeping them since shortly after Christmas. For the better part of January, she'd been in a buying frenzy, with a lot of help from her new friends, the Montoya's.

Delores had the patience of a saint when it came to Elizabeth's questions. After the book club meetings, Elizabeth would pester the older woman with questions about raising kids.

She'd only been asked about the twins' father once. It had been about three months after Elizabeth had arrived in Sedona. It had been on a day where she'd just gotten back from the hospital for a checkup. It was Delores. Apparently she'd "been in the area". But, even at that time, Elizabeth had known that it was a ruse to check on her. Shortly after that, Delores had offered to drive Elizabeth to and from her appointments as it was becoming difficult for her to drive. It had been on that day that Elizabeth told the lie that she'd come up with. It was much kinder and it left things open just in case, against the odds, John found out. She'd told Delores that the father was MIA overseas. Elizabeth was barely able to keep tears from falling, but it had been apparent that she didn't really want to talk about it, so she hadn't been pressed for information.

Elizabeth was scared of the birth experience, whether it was natural (which was becoming an increasingly unlikely option) or a C-Section. It would still be a major surgery, even with the healing properties of the nanites.

Settling for a long night, Elizabeth decided to take a shower. The twins were most active at night, usually keeping her awake all night.

"_Not unlike someone else I could think of,"_ Elizabeth thought, with a mental smirk.

* * *

As Elizabeth was rinsing the last of the soap off, she became aware of a tightening sensation across her abdomen. She paused in what she was doing and focused on what she felt, realizing she had been feeling these sensations for some time, but this was by far the strongest. The idea that this was the beginnings of labor sent a thrill of excitement through her at the same time as a feeling of dread.

She had been to the classes, and had read a number of books on the subject, so she knew it would be hours yet before she would be able to hold her babies in her arms, and it was those very hours that scared the hell out of her. She had known pain before, but it usually came as a surprise, not with a count down.  
She stepped out of the shower and wrapped a spa towel around her – average size towels didn't meet in the middle anymore – and she was looking forward to shrinking down to the size of an average person again soon, even if that person was larger than the one she used to be. She had taken only two steps towards the door when her waters broke. She looked down at the puddle she was standing in and decided she couldn't do this alone. Quickly throwing a hand towel down to soak up the clear liquid, she went out to the phone. She tapped the button to bring up Delores number and hit dial. After only three rings, it was picked up.  
"Hello"  
"Delores, my waters just broke."  
"I'll be right over, phone your Doctor and let her know, she may want you to go straight in." The phone clicked in her ear as Delores hung up. Elizabeth stood there for a moment before remembering to dial the phone again. This time she got an answering machine telling her the Doctor was busy at the moment, but if she left her name and number, she would get back to her as soon as possible.  
The tone sounded and Elizabeth froze. Her mouth refused to form the words. She clicked the end call button. There was no hurry, right? She would call again later.

For now, she had company on the way; she would put some hot water on and make tea. Halfway to the kitchen she remembered she wasn't dressed.

"Baby brain," she muttered, as she went back down the hall to the bedroom. She quickly threw on a shapeless sack that passed for a maternity dress, something else she wouldn't miss! Half way back down the hall to the kitchen she had the first real pain. She reached out for the wall and waited for it to pass. Once it did she remembered to breathe, gasping for air. That was when Delores arrived, giving a quick knock as she opened the door.

"Lizbeth? Where are you?"

"Hall."  
Delores took in the scene in a glance. "Come let's sit you down, I'll put the teapot on, did you call the Doctor yet? Breathe honey, that's it, you're doing fine."

"Got the answering machine. Should it hurt this much so soon? ...the pains don't seem to be far apart,"

"Everyone is different honey, but that bit you see on TV where the pains get closer together? Not really how it goes, well not in my case anyway….right from the outset mine where every 4 ½ minutes, and that is just how they stayed….they just got stronger as the time drew closer."

With Elizabeth seated in the living room, Delores went out to the kitchen, called Dr. Callahan and left a message. The next hour passed quite quickly considering how closely Elizabeth was watching the clock. The doctor returned Delores' call and said she would meet them at the hospital in an hour. She wanted to monitor the twins, and at the first sign of distress she would go in and get them out, but if they could, she wanted Elizabeth to give birth naturally.

Delores gathered up Elizabeth's overnight bag that had been packed and waiting for the last month, and a few other things she thought might prove helpful. She packed the car leaving Elizabeth to rest in her chair until the last minute. About the only thing that Elizabeth could recall about that drive afterwards was the urge she'd had to grab hold of something and pull….the emergency brake had been especially tempting, but she had somehow been able to control the urge.

When they reached the hospital everything had been a flurry of activity at first, but it had settled down to a quite hum as soon as it was ascertained that everything was proceeding well. The next six hours passed easily, and Elizabeth was even able to get some sleep.

* * *

At just after 8am the next morning Elizabeth was woken by an intense pain which was to signal the labor entering a more active stage, now she started to get the urge to push. The pains were much more intense and distressing for her, and although the twins were doing fine, she now found herself asking for some pain relief. Doctor Callahan only gave her one option, gas; all the others had a greater chance of crossing the placenta and affecting the unborn children. Elizabeth accepted the offer and found she quite enjoyed the peace it gave her. She still felt the pain, but it no longer worried her, she was more interested in the pretty colored patterns she could see on the walls and the funny way all the sounds and voices seemed to be coming to her like ripples on water. In fact it was not unlike the way an open wormhole sounded if you got close enough to it. She tried to explain it to the others in the room, but they didn't seem to take her seriously.

After five more hours of pushing, she was exhausted, and not even the gas seemed to be helping anymore. Now she just wanted to get these babies out of her. She heard herself begging her doctor to cut her open and get it over with, but her pleas fell on deaf ears.

"You are so close now Elizabeth, just a couple of more pushes, and the first one will be out, I can see the crown of its head, now come on, take a deep breath and push!"

"Deep breath! I can't breathe at all; I don't want to do this anymore!"

"Here comes another contraction, push, that's it…a little more…there, the head is out, ok breathe and rest for a moment, you're doing very well. Are you ready, just one more push to get the shoulders out and this little one is all yours, here we go now, push, keep pushing, that's it…yes, it's a little girl! Well just get this cord cut and check her over, wow she has a good set of lungs on her!  
Ok Elizabeth let's get her brother out now shall we?"

* * *

Fifteen minutes later Elizabeth was holding both her new born babies, one in each arm, and suddenly she didn't care about how tired she was, and although the pain wasn't forgotten yet, it was forgiven. It was all worth it!

Delores poked her head in with a smile.

She took in the scene of Elizabeth holding one twin in each arm, before making her presence known. As Elizabeth looked up from the twins and noticed her in the doorway, Delores finally said something.

"Happy Valentine's day, 'Lizbeth."

"Yes, it is a happy Valentine's day," Elizabeth smiled first at Delores and then down at her precious twins, both her only connection to her former life, and the beginning of her new life.

"So do these little ones have names yet?"

Elizabeth had been so focused on holding them, she hadn't even thought about their names yet. Well, she _had_ thought about their names. In fact, she'd decided their names several months ago.

"Their names are John and Olivia."


End file.
